Desperate Nick Smith talks up housing failures

Nick Smith is clutching at straws as he desperately tries to talk up his failed housing policies, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.

“The Housing Minister trumpets nine more Special Housing Areas taking the total to 106. But the Council can only account for 102 houses built in the SHAs in the past two years.

“We now officially have more Special Housing Areas than actual houses built in them. And this is Nick Smith’s flagship policy to increase housing supply in Auckland.

“The consenting still rate languishes at 4300 below the 13,000 new homes Auckland needs every year just to keep up with population.

“The Minister is particularly proud of his HomeStart grants to first home buyers which his own officials warned would simply drive up house prices by stoking demand.

“That policy is the kind of tinkering Nick Smith has made his trademark. The average Auckland house last month went up more in the last month than the total HomeStart subsidy available for couples. How on earth can first home buyers keep up with that?”